The anxiety and expectations on the faces of human beings waiting eagerly to usher in the New Year is usually an issue of interest for me. To most people as the 31st day of every December draws closer people look up to ushering in the New Year with utmost zeal. The birth of every New Year is so special that it reflects in people’s attitudes.
The traders and business men/women can afford to indulge in their businesses from the beginning of January even to the 31st of December but would never dare open their shops on New Year day.
If you happen to get to the street, you will discover that 99% of businesses were shut down and with most people having already raced back home to their villages to celebrate the New Year. I have also wondered at the magnitude of people’s absence in the cities on New Year Day. Not even traders with all the business spirit will be seen around.
Back in the village, the churches are usually filled with Christian faithfuls on the night of the 31st of every December, with believers in praying and thanksgiving mood in honour and reverence of the great God who has led them through the year. Those present have always worshipped God in true faith. But who wouldn’t be grateful to such a life giver who has kept to his promise from the beginning of the year to the end of it?
The most exciting moments of all comes to everyone when it is a few minutes to 12 midnight. Then a pertinent observation will reveal that people are charged with earnest expectations of the New Year. As the time to 12 mid night draws nearer, every eye is glued to the Creator as He prepares to deliver a brand new year.
Just like the birth of a new born child which heralds joy and excitement so is the experience of the birth of a new year.
Amazingly too is the vigour with which humans pursue the old year to a stand still. They chase the old year away with so much vigour as if nothing good ever came out of it. People are quick to forget the good tidings of the old year. The only thing most people remember is actually the bad side of the past year. All they are interested in is in the birth of the new year, eagerly waiting for the new year, once the clock ticks to 12 mid night, oh! It is only the heavens that can tell the remaining story of the joy that usually comes with the birth of the new year. I remember vividly what happened to me on that transition night. The moment the long awaited hour came, 12 midnight to be precise, I busted out in prayers and praises unto God right in the church. I prayed and sang continuously and oblivious of my environment. When eventually I opened my eyes, I discovered that the man of God in-charge of the service was about sharing the grace.
Yes! I was indeed lost in the spirit realm. I found myself in a strange world of His glory. I had reasons to remain in that glorious mood for that long. Indeed God has been gracious to have seen me through from the beginning of 2013, to a new 2014. When I look back at his mercies of the previous months, I cannot but roll on the ground for Him. I remembered a particular incident that occurred sometime in August 2013. I was coming back to Owerri from Nsukka in a public transport vehicle. When suddenly the vehicle I was in lost its brake and in that speed heading into a big ditch in the Udi Hills range. That day, I saw death vividly coming. I was lost and speechless but at a point a force opened my mouth and I shouted “No I cannot die” I went into prayers together with some of the passengers. Eventually God saved the situation and caused the bus to brake just beside the big gully. Prior to this time, the driver and most of the passengers had lost complete hope that most people resorted to wailing and shouting. But the fervent prayers of some of us in the vehicle saved the situation. I sincerely thank God for this singular mercy which he showed me in 2013, may His name be praised forever and ever! Amen!
Those memories and more were my recollection points on the December 31st night of 2013 which made m^ feel like one who touched God. I know that most people were in similar moods like me that day. This was evident in the shout of joy that ushered in the 2014 year. Indeed! God is faithful to have kept us all alive.
Now that we have entered the new year successfully, and have even rounded off the first month, the big question is what next? We all know that the reason God allowed us to survive 2013 and be brought into 2014 is for us to live a life of service to Him and humanity. I mean why will you want to keep close by something that is not useful to you. We all treasure things that are of value to us. Anything that is not useful in our lives is usually discarded or disposed of. That is why we will always race-on to trash cans or dustbins to discard unwanted items. Consequently God keeps us alive to be useful unto him. The essence of your living is to make yourself available to be useful to God through being useful to fellow human beings.
Yes! You are alive because God wants you to constantly put smiles on the faces of those that come in contact with you. You are to show them kindness and mercy when the need arises. This year God did not keep you alive so that you can ridicule others or bring sadness to them.
Oh! I read with tears in one of our dailies the story of an Engineer that was murdered on the new year’s night. Precisely at 9:30pm, the evil men stormed the man’s house and disturbed the peace of the new year by abducting the man to an unknown destination. While the family members were waiting anxiously for the abductors to name their price for the release of the man, the next morning they woke up to the rude shock of the news of the man’s death.
Indeed the man was killed by his abductors. Days later it was revealed that the person behind his abduction and death was his kinsman. For no cogent reason, life was snuffed out of the victim just like that. What a world!!! My question is this, what was the victim’s offence to have warranted his death? The killer promised those that murdered him one Million Naira. This is very unfair. You cannot kill another person and expect to enjoy peace. That day you killed the man was the day you murdered peace and sleep in your own life.
The life we live is a precious one. Those who know the value strive to maintain it at all cost. You who can kill another at the slightest provocation should know that that is not the reason God kept you alive. He gave you life to honour him and also love and cherish your fellow human beings. At every point of your life, you must strive to please the maker and Giver of life and the only way you can do that is to run away from any situation capable of hurting another person.
God has given us another opportunity to be alive this year, we should all be grateful to God for that lovely gesture. We should see our existence as a rare privilege. And in living we must live with God. God must be seen in every of our life’s endevours. We must rise against corruption and other societal ills that are capable of nailing Christ on the cross the second time.
When we say no to evil practices and tendencies, we have assurances of a better and happier 2014. At the end of this year, when you take the census of your life’s activities you should be happy that you have done well. The Maker too will nod his head and approve more years for you ahead. But if you engage in acts of wickedness, He God may wake up one and say enough of those silly lives. You know surely what such ends will be like. Who knows, you may not have the opportunity to usher in 2015. Be wise. God’s Grace!!!
